More immigration personnel to help decongest airports

FILE: A transport official on Monday said the Bureau of Immigration would be adding around 500 immigration personnel to help ease congestion in airports during the Christmas rush. (Photo by Jill Shih/Flickr, CC BY-ND 2.0)

MANILA — A transport official on Monday said the Bureau of Immigration would be adding around 500 immigration personnel to help ease congestion in airports during the Christmas rush.

Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) General Manager Ed Monreal made this statement during a joint Senate and House hearing on transport updates this month.

During the hearing, Senator Grace Poe asked Monreal if the airports would be adding x-ray machines this month. Monreal, however, said that they would not, but instead be adding personnel.

In an interview with reporters, Poe said that although more immigration personnel would help shorten queues in the airport and prevent passengers from waiting too long, she expected more preparations in place.

Poe, chair of the Senate Committee on Public Services, also asked the DOTr when the Communications Navigation Surveillance/Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) would be operational.

The CNS/ATM is a state-of-the-art and satellite-based air traffic management system. It was expected to be operational this year.

However, Poe said the DOTr told her that it would not be operational until August 2018.

Poe said that while these systems have yet to be in place, the public would need more patience.

“Sakripisyo pa rin para sa ating mga kababayan talaga itong darating na Disyembre kasi hindi pa talaga handa rin ang DOTr at ang CAAP pagdating dito sa mga equipment na magpapagaan sa pagbiyahe na mas mapapabilis (This December, the public will have to sacrifice because the DOTr and the CAAP are really not ready in terms of equipment that can shorten their time in the airport),” Poe said.